the Black Crowes

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After releasing six albums and playing over a thousand shows, the Black Crowes have broken up. They sold over 15 million records with the bulk of that coming from their first two releases in the early 90's. What are your thoughts on this band? How will they be remembered?

― Mark M, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

As a fan of the band, I'm disappointed that they broke up, but I expect them to reform in 3-5 years when their solo projects all inevitably fail. I loved the swaggering, bar-room rock n roll of the first 2 albums. Many of the songs on those records had a tinge of Southern gospel that complemented their Stonesy guitar work well. Their 3rd and 4th records saw them getting slightly more eclectic, pushing their sound in different directions to mixed results. Sales plummeted during this time but I think these albums are both quite good. Their 5th album, "By Your Side," was their "back-to-basics" album which I liked quite a bit. The band's final album, "Lions," was ill-conceived and poorly produced. It is the only Crowes album that I really dislike. I think their reputation as a fine live act is well deserved. They actively supported the decriminalization of marijuana in America and got thrown off a ZZ Top tour for criticizing that band's use of a sponsor (Budweiser.) They embraced fans' taping of their concerts. Of course after all of this they will probably be remembered most for a cover song that is routinely played during sporting events ("Hard to Handle") or for Chris Robinson marrying aspiring movie star Kate Hudson. I suppose things could be worse.

― Mark M, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

kind of hard to defend such retromongers, but i really think they had their moments. a couple years ago when my brother was a record store clerk he brought home promos of their Greatest Hits and the live one w/ Jimmy Page and I got a little enjoyment out of 'em. They had at least one really great song, which i think is called "Wiser Time", and a few good singles. at the very least, i'd take them over Lenny Kravitz any day of the w

― al, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I like the Black Crowes. How will they be remembered? Probably not very well. They're minor for sure, but I found them entertaining. I sold all my Black Crowes CDs a long time ago. I should buy them back. The first two albums are okay, but I prefer the druggier, more decadent vibe of the third album. They wrote a few good pop songs. I especially like "Nebakanezer" off of Three Snakes.

― Oliver, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

the Black Crowes have broken up.

About fucking goddamn bastard time. Can I shoot them all to make sure they never come back? And burn all their CDs and guitars too? The Black Crowes are one of the few bands for which I possess a total, unmitigated, full-of-rage hate.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

SUCH a buzz when Shake Your Moneymaker came out. "The Black Crowes are the future of music, I sez..."

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I liked "Remedy". "Thorn in my Pride" was cool too. That album would've been great if they'd cut 20 minutes off it.

― dave q, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

They existed, for sure, 'cos I've seen their records in *shops*. I may have even caught 20 seconds of a *video* on TV once. No doubt they made lots of noise live. Yet for me they're filed under "couldn't even be bothered to hate them" as they were so obviously doing nothing of interest. Also in the same file are Pearl Jam, Little Feat, Depeche Mode (after Vince Clarke), Midnight Oil, Garbage, No Doubt, Matchbox 20, Blink 567 or whatever, Green Day, Steve Earle..... Oh why go on.

― Dr. C, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

they was good. one of the best bands going. real rockin stuff and they could actually play their instruments. even oasis had to bow down to them. u should lisen to second album espehully. absolute classic band. gonna miss them.

― XStatic Peace, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I saw them live once. They were brilliant.

I like the fact that they're kind of right on, despite being shit- kicking red necks from the deep South (or at least cultivating that image to an extent). When I saw them they had a Free Mumia poster on their drumkit.

Can anyone recommend records by them? Round these parts received wisdom is that they are great live but a bit dull on record.

― DV, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

"A Conspiracy" was also good, a typical Faces stomp that loses the plot halfway through and wanders into narco-land. "Y'wanna fight..." - der der DUM! - "...awRIGHT!..."

― dave q, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I thought I didn't like them, but I LOVE the best of CD I got for Christmas. They are a really good band judging by these 16 songs. The frontman was annoying to watch, though, but seeing as how I just got into them, I'm a bit disappointed they've just broken up. It's funny that "Hard To Handle" used to annoy me so much and now I can't see why. I think it must have been watching them in the video. Or, maybe I just realized that the whole "that's been done before" attitude makes no sense.

― Nude Spock, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

I caught a Crowes appearance on an old SNL the other night. It was rather amazing. Which was sobering since I've ALWAYS hated them.

― PB, Friday, 8 July 2005 21:38 (7 years ago) Permalink

I've always secretly loved them.

― I Named Veal (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 July 2005 21:40 (7 years ago) Permalink

It's true, they really WERE brilliant live.

― I Named Veal (nordicskilla), Friday, 8 July 2005 21:41 (7 years ago) Permalink

Apparently they are back together as I am seeing them on Monday.

― mitch dub (ano ano), Saturday, 9 July 2005 20:19 (7 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

what a fucking great band

― adamrl (nordicskilla), Thursday, 19 January 2006 05:42 (7 years ago) Permalink

I saw them live in 1992 and even then Chris Robinson's voice was blown to the point of not being able to hit the notes. In retrospect I'd rather have seen Masters of Reality.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 19 January 2006 05:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

x-post 00 You are a traitor to your country. Both of them.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 19 January 2006 05:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

their best is the southern harmony and musical companion, which is one of my olde high school favorites.

― gear (gear), Thursday, 19 January 2006 06:06 (7 years ago) Permalink

"Twice As Hard"!

I saw them at a large club show once; the bass player ended up in a street fight *immediately* after their set.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 19 January 2006 07:44 (7 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

I have a chance to see them tomorrow night at the Warfield. Has anybody seen them on this tour yet? Are they still pretty much unassailable live?

I've heard that they're somewhat jammy. Now, is that "jammy" as in 15-minute blues solos or as in face-melting psychedelia?

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Saturday, 7 July 2007 16:10 (5 years ago) Permalink

7 months pass...

http://gawker.com/359843/maxim-reviews-black-crowes-album-without-listening-to-it

(it leaked in the meantime, but that's not the point)

― StanM, Monday, 25 February 2008 09:19 (5 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, that really rubbed me the wrong way, especially the magazine's response to getting called out for it. So maybe it is kinda funny to "predict" the sound of a Crowes album in 2008, but that crap is inexcuseable.

― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Monday, 25 February 2008 14:12 (5 years ago) Permalink

Bump just 'cuz it's so fucking weird. And, um, cuz I read about it on the ABC News site.

― contenderizer, Wednesday, 27 February 2008 01:04 (5 years ago) Permalink

I like the fact that they're kind of right on, despite being shit- kicking red necks from the deep South (or at least cultivating that image to an extent).

They're middle class kids from one of the richest suburbs of Atlanta. I've never met a redneck from East Cobb County.

― Garrett Martin, Thursday, 28 February 2008 14:10 (5 years ago) Permalink

LOLmaxim music reviews

― carne asada, Thursday, 28 February 2008 14:28 (5 years ago) Permalink

they will probably be remembered most for a cover song that is routinely played during sporting events ("Hard to Handle")

Maybe because it's the best thing they ever did?

― xhuxk, Thursday, 28 February 2008 14:54 (5 years ago) Permalink

http://gawker.com/361567/all-these-dirty-bands-look-the-same-to-cnn

― stevie, Thursday, 28 February 2008 16:53 (5 years ago) Permalink

This is completely fucked up, yes, but, is it possible the writer DID hear it via a leak and when Maxim was confronted they made up some bullshit excuse rather than admit publicly to downloading the damn thing from Soulseek?

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 28 February 2008 18:15 (5 years ago) Permalink

its more likely to be the other way round, isn't it - that journalists are often not interested enough to bother listening to an album in its entirety . Maxim just unlucky cause they've been caught out.

(obviously not to disparage the trade of the fine music journos of this parish. just saying I wouldn't be surprised is all.)

― Thomas, Thursday, 28 February 2008 18:25 (5 years ago) Permalink

It hadn't leaked when he wrote the review and now they've gone and published another review (2.5/5) of an album that isn't even finished. Nas isn't happy about that one - it's his.

― StanM, Thursday, 28 February 2008 18:34 (5 years ago) Permalink

Sheesh. What a disgrace.

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 28 February 2008 19:08 (5 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

So the new album? It's actually pretty good. The concept sounded cringe-worthy when I first heard it, the whole recording live in Levon Helm's barn in front of a live audience, but I gotta say it works - these guys haven't sounded this energized in awhile now.

― 3 mods 1 banhammer (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 4 September 2009 22:07 (3 years ago) Permalink

new songs or like a live set?

― i'm beasting off the riesling (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 4 September 2009 22:22 (3 years ago) Permalink

Unfortunately, I got the opposite impression. These guys sound awfully tired and obvious. Then again, I've never liked Chris Robinson's voice. The dude is a lousy boogie-rock singer. The one tune with a funky disco groove is pretty bad.

― QuantumNoise, Friday, 4 September 2009 22:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

How will they be remembered?

They won't be.

― Daniel, Esq., Saturday, 5 September 2009 00:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

(At least let's hope)

― Daniel, Esq., Saturday, 5 September 2009 00:30 (3 years ago) Permalink

To answer M@tt's question, its all new tracks. It also comes with a download code to get a whole second set, but I haven't listened to that yet. Listened to this again last night and still liking it. It definitely won't convert a lot of haters, but I've followed them off and on and this is the most I've liked an album since probably Amorica.

― 3 mods 1 banhammer (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 00:19 (3 years ago) Permalink

so is luther dickinson joining them their Mick Taylor moment?

― calstars, Tuesday, 8 September 2009 17:01 (3 years ago) Permalink

10 months pass...

Again, I'll out myself as a Crowes fan. The new double-disc acoustic "hits" thing, Croweology, is pretty damn good - if you are inclined to giving these guys a chance.

― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 5 August 2010 04:19 (2 years ago) Permalink

Particularly loving the reworking of "Non-Fiction" right now. The drum machine on "Share the Ride" was a horrible decision though.

― he's always been a bit of an anti-climb Max (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 5 August 2010 04:21 (2 years ago) Permalink

By Your Side was one of my favorites....

― San Te, Thursday, 5 August 2010 04:26 (2 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

Lol I'm still the only guy around here that rates these guys at all. The new album by Chris Robinson Brotherhood is actually decent, in a Ryan Adams Cold Roses kind of way. Robinson's usual schtick with a bit more of a Dead-vibe, none of the songs less than 7 minutes.

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 5 June 2012 17:49 (11 months ago) Permalink

he was pretty good last night w/ bob weir!

― tylerw, Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:07 (11 months ago) Permalink

Oh, nice, Didn't know he was opening. Was it with the Brotherhood?

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:09 (11 months ago) Permalink

oh, nevermind, I see it was an acoustic trio thing

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:09 (11 months ago) Permalink

yes! mostly dead covers.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:10 (11 months ago) Permalink

Cool! I think its actually kind of cool to see Chris Robinson settling into this scene, it fits him.

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:11 (11 months ago) Permalink

he's got the beard for it!

― tylerw, Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:12 (11 months ago) Permalink

true, true

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 5 June 2012 18:13 (11 months ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

So the second CRB album of 2012 isn't quite as good as the first one, but man do I love the vibe on these things. On one of the tracks someboday jokingly says, "California space boogie" as they start recording and its actually a pretty damn good descriptor for this stuff. Long songs with meandering guitar solos, cosmic sounding synths, and lots of jamming. This stuff probably won't convince Black Crowes hater or people with an automatic aversion to anything tagged 'jamband', but I could really see people who love live Dead into the late 70s and 80s getting into this.

― heated debate over derpy hooves (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 24 September 2012 15:19 (7 months ago) Permalink

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